This invention relates to coil spring feeding apparatus for mattress springs and more particularly to a feeding apparatus adapted to feed coiled springs into a spring base forming apparatus in a substantially controlled and speedy manner.
In the past, spring frame forming devices have been normally either manually fed with springs formed on a separate remote spring making unit or alternatively, have been coupled to a spring making unit which is connected to the spring frame forming apparatus and operates in unison therewith. Substantial problems are found in both forms of apparatus as hereinbefore described, in that in the first instance, a high degree of operator skill is required to achieve even a moderate level of speed in operation by manual placement of springs into a mattress frame forming machine and furthermore, there are substantial dangers involved in manual operation, without the required skill, of a manually fed mattress frame forming unit. In the other form where the spring making unit is coupled directly with the mattress frame forming device, any breakdown of either the spring forming machine or the mattress frame forming device results in a complete shut-down of the apparatus until the malfunction can be repaired.
In the past, it has been traditional for springs to be manufactured separately and stock piled in a way in which they take up relatively small space and are easy to handle and therefore, in the absence of a satisfactory method of automatically feeding springs, manufacturers, except large scale manufacturers, of mattress frames have retained the essentially manual method of feeding springs into the machines, as they retain the ability of continuing to manufacture should either machine break down.
It is therefore an object of this invention to come some way in overcoming the abovementioned problems or at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Attention is directed to the Fischer U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,303 issued Apr. 20, 1971 and particularly to the escapement disclosed therein and shown particularly in FIG. 4 thereof. In addition, attention is directed to the Sturm U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,610 issued Sept. 27, 1977, which patent discloses a movable magnet which is adapted for magnetically attracting and releaseably holding an end coil spring and which is carried by a supporting frame for movement across a conveyor between a retracted position on one side of the conveyor remote from a coil spring magazine and an advanced position located adjacent to the discharge end of the magazine and in position for magnetically attracting and releaseably holding the end coil spring located in the magazine.